One person was killed and another wounded in a shooting attack near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod on Tuesday, a hospital said.

“A short time ago, two injured people from the shooting incident on Route 4 were taken to the hospital. One patient died on his way to the hospital,” the Assuta hospital said in a statement.

Police said officers were at the scene of the shooting near the Yavne South interchange, which is about 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of the Israeli commercial hub Tel Aviv.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation, and the motive has not yet been established,” police said in a statement.

The shooting comes just days after one person was killed and five wounded during a stabbing rampage in four different locations in the central town of Hadera on Wednesday before the assailant was “neutralised”.

Palestinian militant group Hamas later praised the attack, saying it was a “heroic stabbing operation” and calling “for more painful strikes against the occupation”.

And earlier this month, seven people were killed in a shooting and stabbing claimed by Hamas in Tel Aviv.

Palestinian militants have carried out several attacks on Israelis since October 7 last year, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, sparking war in Gaza.